The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-02-05
A Newspaper Bohemian.
BY FANNIE MAY TROUsDALE.
CHAPTER IL.

@T1n 4 was bewildering, and even
SHI somewhat startling, this sud
Nlg den and noisy dash into the
ssASS open country, the engine snort
ing and putting as if glad to be
set free, and to shake Off the dust of
the city from its frolicsome heels.
Stephanie's experience in travelling
was not extensive. Born and reared
in the city, she could count on one
hand, and have finger or two left
over, the times that kind fortune
had let her out OF its precincts.
1t is not strange in consequence, that
this hitherto un-dreamt of plunge out
into the world, with not even an ac-
quaintance to turn to, was like cold
douche. 1t quite upset her nervous
equilibrium. She had to bring her
self severely to task before she could
think clearly and lucidly.
The new valise, all unheeded, beams
ed lustrously, from the opposite seat,
while Stephanie sat with her eyes on
the fitting landscape, trying to argue
eway her apprehensions.
One thing she was decided upon,
and she looked so resolutely fierce as
she thought of it, that the little Byrnes'
would hardly have known her, she
was not going to be labeled and classed
with the vast, but unappreciated army
of book agents. She had grown up
prejudiced, it growing with her
growth, against them. The word
"agent" gave her an inward shudder
when she applied it to herself. Her
cards read 'sMiss Stephanie Byrne,
Correspondent OF The Southv' AS
she was to contribute to its columns,
and she had bright and breezy style
of writing, that had secured her some
reputation, among the Sunday home
papers, the bookskeeper had suggested
the idea to her. He said il would ins
sure her the recognition and courtesies
of the press.
This was another of the Colonel's
kindnesses; the amount o: free advcr-
tising it would give to his publication,
did not deter him from doing what he
could in this way to forward tho inter.
ests OF the Southern female, the grand
aim OF his existence.
AS Stephanie sat, fguratively bucko
ling on her armor, the afternoon be-
gan to waue, and her nervousness
give way to a pleasurable ex-
element in the newness OF the
panoramic landscape unrolling be-
fore her vision. She was yet young
enough and eager enough to lose sight
of the sorrow behind her and the diff
culties ahead.
In limitless distance the country
stretched away on either hand, broken
with lovely, tangled hollows and
wooded hills, bright in their scarlet
autumn livery. Further on, along
this fifty named Air Line, which cuts
natures heart in twain, she knew the
hills must give way 10 mountains, and
there are no lovelier mountains than
those of the Blue Ridge.
Truly, it was not to be despised, this
opportunity of seeing something of the
world. But it was SO au,,ts,tal and
novel, and indefnably lonely to a girl
who had spent all her life close by the
hearth stone, hedged in by At numer-
Gus and noisy band of younger sisters
and brothers.
When the conductor came around
for her ticket, and she handed him a
pass, he looked from it to her face
with sudden ard keen curiosity.
This was rather a novel "newspaper
man." The departure was surprise
even to him, and it was a great deal
of life he had seen in a thirty years.
experience on passenger train,
He was something of character
himself, this Capt. McCool. The keen